A rainbow in the sky
by Alicia Mirza
Summary: Even Minerva McGonagall is not always strong and mighty, she has moments when she feels alone and she is tired of the world. After the final battle even she needs some reassurance that the future can be brighter. Written for QL.


**Quidditch Leage Competition - Season 2**

Team: Bellycastle Bats

Position: Chaser 1

Word: proper noun (Hogwarts)

Wordcount: 1258 words

Bonus prompts: 10. leaping; 12. confounding; 14. swollen

* * *

"_My heart leaps up when I behold_

_A rainbow in the sky:_

_So was it when my life began;_

_So is it now I am a man;_

_So be it when I shall grow old,_

_Or let me die!..."_

My Heart Leaps Up by William Wordsworth

* * *

**A rainbow in the sky**

* * *

Hogwarts was bathing in sunlight, the drizzling has just stopped and a rainbow crossed the horizon with its seven colours. The sight would have been breathtaking if only the castle was more than ruins. Still, her mind was playing games with her; she found that she hasn't seen anything so beautiful in her life.

"Headmistress." She didn't react first, it was not a title she was used to, but after a moment she realized that after everything she was the only left to manage the school or what was left from it. It was Kingsley Shacklebolt, his lips were swollen, he was limping, but other than that he seemed perfectly well.

"That's not my title yet," she muttered looking at the sky instead of the man.

"Is it possible in your opinion to open the gates of the school for the students in September?" he asked, ignoring her comment. She remained silent for a moment, before she turned back to him.

"Is it possible for the wizarding community to go back to normal by September?" she asked and now it was him who didn't answer. They just won the war, but it was not yet time to speak about the future, which was still so fragile-looking - no, maybe the next day, or the day after that.

She walked through the grounds, slowly, taking in the scene of the place which was a battlefield only mere hours ago. She was lost in her thoughts and she didn't seem to realize that she wasn't alone until she heard the voices.

"I'm so sorry Gin... It's-it's my fault." It was a voice which she and the entire wizarding world would never forget; it was their saviour – in a very private moment, which she didn't want to disturb.

"Harry James Potter! You still not understand? It's not your fault! Fred didn't die, because of you..." Before she could listen to more McGonagall left, hiding behind a bush, only glimpsing something fiery red, which she associated with Ginny Weasley's hair. Her heart was leaping, probably missing some beat, not because she just spied on her own students, but because she felt sorry. Harry Potter was just a young boy, just seventeen and he seemed to feel guilty for the fault of the entire world.

She looked back and noticed the young pair. The redhead embraced the boy and in their little shell they were standing under the rainbows before the ruins of the magnificent castle. A small, but bitter smile appeared on the edge of her mouth. They reminded her of another couple in another time, about twenty years before – Lily Evans and James Potter. It seemed that the Potter boys had a thing for gingers.

She took a deep breath and before she could collect herself a traitorous tear escaped her eyes for all of those who have been lost. She started chanting the names from the First Wizarding War, taking a step after every name.

It was a sick little game of hers, breaking her heart once again into million pieces. How many of her students, acquaintances, colleagues and friends have lost their life because of one megalomaniac and his mental followers? She couldn't even count it and she stopped every time when she realized that a name has slipped her mind, when she noticed how she has nearly forgotten of the sacrifice.

"My baby... My poor baby!" She looked up only to notice Molly and Arthur Weasley on a bench not far from her.

"Fred Weasley," she muttered. How many times has she shouted with him? He always made her boil with rage, not caring about the rules, making mess – yet, she would do anything to see him once again with his twin brother, to see them together tricking the Slytherins.

"It's nice to see you, Minerva." She didn't even see Andromeda Tonks until she was right in front of her with a small baby in her arms.

"Andromeda," she greeted the other woman, who was trying to pretend to be okay, but her eyes were bright with tears. It was confounding, strange seeing someone like her in that state. However, she has lost her husband, and now her daughter and son-in-law, only her grandson remained – she would be completely alone without him.

"He is beautiful," she eyed the baby boy who was just like his mother, having purple hair which slowly turned into blue, turquoise, green, yellow, orange and red. A small smile appeared on her face after realizing that the infant was imitating the rainbow.

"Yes, Teddy is the best thing in my life," Andromeda agreed, choking.

"I'm so sorry," Minerva told the other woman, who smiled sadly.

"We have all lost someone." McGonagall shook her head.

"You have lost too much."

"We all have, but Teddy is here, it's a sign. The future might be brighter." She looked at the woman, who despite her upbringing and place at Slytherin married a muggleborn, who fought against everything she ever knew in all her life and couldn't understand her.

"How can you be so positive?" she asked, for a moment her professor-facade disappearing. She was just a woman who felt that the entire world she knew just fell apart. When the towering mesmerizing thousand-year-old castle was in pieces how could anyone be well?

"There was a yesterday, there is a today, then there will be always a tomorrow," she stated and the baby's hair changed into bubblegum pink, making both women stare at him.

"Yes, there will be a tomorrow," McGonagall agreed taking the baby from the others hand. The infant felt so alive in her hands, full of life – the life every grown-up was missing at the moment, but maybe they could relearn having it. When she gave Teddy Lupin back to his grandmother and said goodbye she felt some kind of hope she didn't feel for a long time, not even when that sickening bastard Voldemort hit the floor.

She slowly made her way into the castle and when she passed a hugging Fleur and Bill Weasley she felt something warm. She looked back at them; they were leaning against the wall quietly talking. For a moment her eyes met the young girl's and Andromeda's words seemed so much more possible. She imagined little strawberry red-haired girls and boys with blue eyes playing around little Teddy.

As she made her way to the Headmaster's office she swore that she saw Granger and the youngest Weasley boy walking towards a mop of black hair which she associated with Harry Potter holding hands.

While walking on the corridors, – or at least what remained from them, – she looked out of the windows, stopping every once in a while. She noticed several figures; Neville Longbottom was with a blonde girl, Hannah Abbott probably; Molly Weasley was next to Andromeda now, holding a turquoise-haired Teddy.

As she stepped into the office she wasn't surprised to see Kingsley again. The man seemed to be waiting for her, though she didn't know how he knew she would be there.

"Professor," he started, but she cut him off. She looked outside through the windows and she saw the rainbow – she saw the changing hair colour of a baby boy in front of her. The future was here and it was bright; purple, blue, turquoise, green, yellow, orange and red. It was colourful and full of life.

"Yes, everything will be ready by September. We will be able to greet the next generation of our world in autumn at Hogwarts."


End file.
